Oh the irony, says budget watchdog as feds release cost of crime bill

OTTAWA — Canada’s budget watchdog couldn’t help but point out the irony after getting a look at the Conservatives’ latest cost breakdown for its controversial omnibus crime bill.

Mum on the cost of Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, since it was introduced last month, the government finally coughed up a two-page analysis at the end of a Commons committee meeting Thursday.

It pegged the bill at $78.6 million over five years, noting the tough-on-drug-traffickers portion alone would run just under $68 million over five years. It contained no information about the financial impact on provinces and territories.

Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page argued there was “no information to support these estimates” at all.

He has yet to see documentation on additional federal headcounts and increases in sentence length.

There’s also no breakdown of operating verses capital expenditures by year, and no methodology.

Ironically the House finance committee passed a motion last week to have (the) PBO cost all private members bills and it explicitly requested methodology to be included with the costing,” he said.

It seems what’s good for the goose, isn’t necessary for the gander.

That said, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, the parliamentary secretary to Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, said Friday that the government tabled a “tremendous amount of documentation” in the spring to “back up” its tough-on-crime figures.

The government has said the total of all crime bills, whether they have or have yet to be passed, won’t top $2.7 billion over five years.

As for the provincial costs, she said consultations are on going and noted the government boosted transfer payments for crime by $2.4 billion this year.

The omnibus crime bill combines nine former pieces of legislation the government failed to pass in the last parliament due to its minority status.

With its new-found majority, the Conservatives have vowed to pass the bill within 100 sitting days.

The bill proposes mandatory minimum sentences for sex crimes involving children and drug production, an end to house arrest for property and violent crimes and changes to the International Transfer of Offenders Act.

It also ends pardons for violent and repeat offenders, assist victims of terrorism, prevents the exploitation of vulnerable immigrants and gets tough on repeat young offenders.

I cover justice, immigration and public safety issues as part of the Postmedia News politics team. I also keep tabs on what the official Opposition — the NDP — is up to in the House of Commons.
Before... read more coming here I spent several years in Montreal and Toronto with The Canadian Press covering provincial politics and major crime and court stories. I also helped cover the war in Afghanistan from inside and outside the wire.
I previously worked for the Ottawa Sun chasing crime stories and following convicts through the court system.
I love the unpredictability of my job and believe the opportunity to help document history as it unfolds is an awesome privilege that never ceases to give me chills.
I'm also thrilled to be back in Ottawa — my home town.
When not working, I love playing soccer, snowboarding, hitting up a live rock/blues/soul/funk show, indulging in my favourite microbrew with friends or hanging out with my three (not so little anymore) sisters!View author's profile